Two Oscar-nominated movies hit Blu-ray, while two much-anticipated retro-influenced hit consoles… this week on Amazon!
It’s tax week here in America (and at Laser Time headquarters), and even though we may be paying Uncle Sam through the nose, there’s still plenty of fun to be had (and bought). Here at LT, we have a new episode of Laser Time about twin movies, the beginning of a new Racer Time featuring Donkey Kong ’94, and for our Patreon supporters, a commentary track for the 30th anniversary of G.I. Joe: The Movie. Over on Amazon, there’s some sweet stuff to be had, as some neat indie retro-themed game releases pair well with some Oscar-nominated movies hitting Blu-ray for the first time. If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, remember that you’ll save 20% off all new games and pre-orders unless otherwise noted. Also, even though we’ve collected some great games and movies you don’t have to buy any of these products to help Laser Time. Simply buy anything on Amazon after clicking one of these links and you’ll help out LT. Anywho, now onto this week’s best new stuff!
In a world where Ratchets, Jaxes, and Slies are in short supply, it’s tough to find new platform-adventures that can stoke old-school fires. With Rare focused on Sea of Thieves, their particular brand of platformer is in short supply, but luckily a band of former Rare devs banded together for the Kickstarter-funded Banjo-Kazooie-alike, Yooka-Laylee. If you like gibberish-speaking creatures and collect-a-thon platforming, Yooka might be for you, k? It’s been getting decent (but not great) reviews thus far, but if you’ve been hankering for a 3D platfomer, your choices aren’t exactly plentiful. Fortunately, even if you skipped Kickstarter, Amazon Prime has your back regarding deals as you’ll save 20% on this charming adventure.
ALSO AVAILABLE:
Collector’s Edition
It may not look the part, but Stardew Valley was one of Vidjagame Apocalypse’s top games of 2016. While the Harvest Moon franchise has earned its fair share of fans over the last decade or two, it’s been slow to innovate. Stardew Valley keeps the tranquility that farming-focused game fans desire, but adds multiple options to make a living by the land (be it farming, mining, crafting, or even cave-diving to fight enemies). Then there’s your rural community and the cast of characters you can befriend and even marry, and the daily activities tied to both your work and social life made SV one of 2016’s biggest and best surprises. You won’t have to spend the farm to enjoy this retail release of this indie delight, as Amazon Prime members save 20%!
ALSO AVAILABLE: XBOX ONE
I’m usually not one for preachy Oscar-bait biopics, particularly when they deal with science (there’s a reason you don’t hear about Sci-non-fi fans). I feel like every Academy Award show has at least one story of a person who overcame hardship to invent computers or some medical breakthrough, but those films usually don’t pique my interest. Even reports from Oscar Time 2016 note that it’s a bit overdone in the same vein as Hacksaw Ridge, I might give Hidden Figures a shot because all of the negative elements are counter-acted by the fact that it’s all about SPACE!
Ah yes, along with Hidden Figures, this is the other Best Picture Oscar nominee that escaped my view. Unlike Hidden Figures, which I’m anticipating despite a laundry list of caveats, Lion is a flick that instantly piqued my interest amidst a dearth of viewing options back around Academy Awards season. The concept of a character getting lost as a youth on public transportation and having to retrace their steps as an adult is equal parts eerie, technologically compelling, and weirdly, kind of relateable. Plus, Dev Patel has a pretty good track record of delivering dramatic performances, so I’ll be checking this one out… and I ain’t Lion! Er, lying.
And here we have the outlier. Following up a pair of indie game delights and much-loved Oscar movies, we have one of the most stupidly-named horror movies of 2016 finally hitting Blu-ray. While I wouldn’t dare see a movie like Bye Bye Man in theaters, I’m all about streaming or renting a flick like this, and if it hits the right chord in the same way that movies like Don’t Breathe and The Witch have, possibly buying it on Blu-ray. Even if it’s never at the top of my queue, if I’m in the mood for horror sometime soon, I might say hi hi to Bye Bye Man.
UPCOMING VIDEO GAME PRE-ORDERS!
SPECIAL ALERT! IF YOU HAVE AMAZON PRIME, YOU GET 20% OFF MOST PRE-ORDERS! KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN BUYING THROUGH US!
Kingdom Hearts III
Red Dead Redemption 2
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Death Stranding
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Spider-Man